Greatest England v Australia Contests

England are set to play Australia in the Autumn Nations Series this November. With this in mind, we thought it would be a good idea to take a trip down memory lane and a closer look at the Greatest ever England v Australia head-to-heads.

1984: Australian Grand Slam Tour

Casting our minds back to 1984, we cannot forget the Australian UK Tour, where they won the Grand Slam, beating England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland.

This unbeaten streak begun with England, who welcomed Australia to the home of England Rugby -Twickenham Stadium. Australia won 19-3 and then went on to defeat Ireland 16-9, Wales 28-9, and Scotland 37-12 – making it a pretty successful trip for Australia.

1991: Rugby World Cup Final

The 1991 World Cup Final was played on England’s home turf – Twickenham Stadium, against Australia. England managed to reach the final by playing a forward-dominated game, however, for the final it was a last-minute decision to change tactics and play a more open game.

Such a change in play did not work in the home teams’ favour, and although they showed great perseverance, Australia were a strong and well-rehearsed unit, and consequently took home the title, winning by a mere 12-6.

2003: Rugby World Cup Final

Unlike the 1991 final, in 2003 England won the holy grail of rugby - the World Cup, in Stadium Australia Sydney. This was a momentous occasion for England as it wasn’t just their first ever world cup title, it was the first time a northern hemisphere team had ever won the tournament.

The game was thrilling, it ended on a tie of 14-14. Extra time continued this equalisation to 17-17, and it wasn’t until the last 28 seconds - where Wilkinson went on to score a drop goal that England cemented their win. The game finished on 20-17 and England came away victorious by the skin of their teeth! But hey, a win’s a win, right?

2016: 3rd Test Match in Sydney

In 2016, England played a three-test series against Australia. This was the first time three matches had been played in a row between the two nations. England left Australia on a high, with three wins under their belt!

The third test match, played in the Allianz Stadium in Sydney, made history. England’s win of 40-44 made this game their highest scoring match against Australia to date.

2019: Rugby World Cup Quarter Final

The most recent ‘greatest’ England v Australia matches has got to be the 2019 World Cup Quarter Final. Hosted by Japan, in the Oita Stadium, England managed to secure their biggest victory margin against Australia ever, winning 40-16 – matching their 2017 win of 30-6.

Despite, losing by such a margin, Australia had 64% of possession during the game and gained many more metres in attack compared to England. England secured the win by being more clinical, enabling them to secure more tries.

If you’re interested in witnessing the rivalry between England and Australia at the home of England Rugby - Twickenham Stadium, then look no further. Keith Prowse is proud to offer all-inclusive hospitality at the Autumn Nation Series this November. Book now to ensure you are part of this clash, destined for the history books.